Sports jerseys · by the year

1981NBA Jerseys

NBA jerseys from the 1981 season, pulled from eBay as listings change. Replicas, throwbacks, and the occasional game-worn shirt.

Start with the winners
NBA ChampionsBoston CelticsShop the jersey ›
AllNBANFLMLBNHLSoccerRugbyCricketF1NASCARWrestlingOlympicsCollege
FindJerseys·Jackets·Caps·Tees·PennantsBudgetAny·To $50·To $100·To $250·$250+ShowAll·Era originals

As an eBay Partner, YearJersey may earn from qualifying purchases.

As of September 11, 2026, the median asking price for 1981 NBA jerseys on eBay is $75, across 25 live listings. Across the last 29 days it has ranged $45 to $77.

Makers named in these listings: Mitchell & Ness in 4 (licensed reproductions, not era originals) · Champion in 1 (made NBA jerseys about 1990 to 2002, in Europe to 2010). How to date an NBA jersey ›

The jersey wire

Hunting a 1981 NBA jersey? One sharp email a week with the best new finds for your year, and nothing else. Unsubscribe in one click. Privacy

Original or reproduction?

These are live eBay listings, so "1981" in a title can mean two things: a jersey made in 1981, or a throwback printed last month. The first thing to check is the maker's tag against who was actually making jerseys then.

A 1981 NBA jersey should carry a tag from team-by-team makers like Sand-Knit, Rawlings and Wilson; no league-wide supplier. A different maker on the tag points to a later reproduction.

The full NBA dating guide: tags, patches and fakes, season by season ›

Not sure what era this is? Pick the detail you can see ›

What does a 1981 NBA jersey cost?

As of September 11, 2026, the median asking price for 1981 NBA jerseys on eBay is $75, across 25 live listings. Across the last 29 days it has ranged $45 to $77. Era originals in good condition usually trade above that median. A claimed game-worn or rare original priced far below it is the classic counterfeit tell.

  • A Mitchell & Ness or Hardwood Classics tag means a licensed reproduction. A fine gift, not a 1981 original.
  • Ask the seller for photos of the neck tag and the wash tag. Logos, fonts and fabric should match the era.
  • The tag check has a limit: counterfeits copy the correct maker tag too. Price is the signal that scales. Real vintage doesn't sell far below every comparable listing, and a game-worn jersey priced like a t-shirt is neither.
  • The Era originals filter above hides listings that are newly made by their own description: multi-size runs, custom name and number offers, reproduction brands. What survives isn't guaranteed original. A one-off fake in a single size with the right tag passes every check a listing allows, which is exactly why seller photos and feedback still matter.
← 1980 1982 →